Letter: Precious vote

Scott Rothschild’s recent article “Problems arise with requiring proof of citizenship to vote” indicated that since Jan. 1 more than 11,000 voter registrations have been put on hold because of unspecified problems with documentation. With only 20,780 new voter registrations accepted during this same time period, Rothschild points out that one in three Kansans are being denied their basic voting rights.

These citizens are being disenfranchised to “protect” us from the half-dozen or so cases of voter fraud that inevitably occur in any large election.

The concept of one-person, one-vote is an intrinsic American ideal. My grandfathers fought for this ideal in World War II. My father spent a lifetime promoting this ideal in the civil service. I served in the USAF because I too believe in the American ideal.

Under the guise of preventing voter fraud, our current secretary of state, Kris Kobach, is attacking this American ideal. He is attacking America. Kobach is using his constituency’s ignorance, fear of immigrants and subtle racism to promote himself and his radical anti-immigrant agenda at the cost of a basic American principle.

Loyal Americans need to stand up and say, “no more.” It doesn’t matter if you are a Republican, Democrat or Libertarian, surely we can all agree on the principle of one-person, one-vote.

The good news is that to stand up you don’t have to picket, protest or start a revolution. All you have to do protect America from the likes of Kris Kobach is get out and vote. That is, if you are among the Kansans Kobach is allowing to vote.

Regardless of what Mr. Kobach says in public, the current voter ID and citizenship requirements were put in place to make it harder for Latino and Black voters to register and exercise their franchise.

One of the worst things about post segregation racism is its subtle nature. Just because Mr. Kobach doesn't explicitly name race as a motivator, doesn't make the resulting policy any less bigoted.

Like our friends at Fox News, Mr. Kobach is appealing to the Republican base in order to advance his own interests. His policies are written to appeal to Middle class whites who are afraid of a future where they are no longer the majority. It is Mr. Kobach, not I, that is playing the "race card".

"How does the requirement of getting an ID make it more difficult for Latino and Black voters than for White, Asian, etc.??? "

The people who are in those categories, and I hate categories but I am playing along to your question, are usually poor, without transportation to go to DMV and PAY for an ID card. They have no other forms of ID except their Soc Sec Card, or what have you, but those are not accepted. Voter fraud on a grand scale is an invention by Mr. Kobach and everyone knows that but you. So read up on that, if you please. The republicans have determined that these people are voting the democratic ticket and the only way to stop them is to invent a way that makes it hard for them to vote. Kobach found it in a perceived voter fraud concept.

Renting a car, going to see the First Lady speak are not rights, they are privileges. Voting is a right. Until every citizen of this country is given a FREE photo ID and FREE copy of their birth certificate, I will be against what is, in effect, a poll tax. I wouldn't consider this a racial issue--there are plenty of poor white people who can't afford these IDs or have free way to obtain them--it's a human issue.